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NZGC: Tigereye vs Decode post game review

NZGC: Tigereye vs Decode post game review

After one of the most exciting matchups we’ve ever witnessed in the NZGC two nights ago between Villains and 2EZ, could Tigereye and Decode match that exemplarily performance? Decode had a difficult time in their first round matchup against Villains, failing to win a game. Meanwhile, Tigereye was also coming off a 1-2 opening round series loss to King 5.

Let’s hit the Rift for game one.

Tigereye vs Decode – Game One

There were a few surprises in the pick and ban phase of game one. Tigereye’s Bomi picked up Lee Sin, a mechanically gifted jungler champion that can be difficult to execute on. Meanwhile, Decode’s Shiv grabbed Orianna in the mid lane. Trundle also made it to the last round for Hi Im Bode.

While there was a lot of back and forth ‘cheekiness’ in the early game (Decode tried a 5 man invade, meanwhile Tigereye’s Jungler and top lane looked for a pick on Decode’s Hi Im Bode).

First blood actually wouldn’t be go until almost 13 minutes into this game. Hi Im Bode was able to taunt out the shen taunt (hehe), allowing for Pune to come in and get a critical knockup on Rek’sai. First Blood went to Decode’s Hi Im Bode.

Meanwhile, Tigereye was able to respond to Decode’s aggression in the top lane by applying their own in the bottom lane. With tier 1 tower falling, Tigereye’s Bomi made an amazing flash + Q play that landed on Decode’s ADC. OKTiger and Broler would flash behind him to also takedown Decode’s Thretn.

16 minutes into game one, Tigereye five man dived top lane, picking up two more kills and the top tower. Four minutes later, Decode is again caught out of position in their jungle, leading to a near ace for Tigereye.

Up 12-4 now at 25 minutes, Tigereye had taken all of Decodes tier 1 and tier 2 towers on the map except mid. Shiv landed a really nice Orianna ultimate, but Tigereye was just too far up and tanky for it to be super effective.

After securing Baron at 29 minutes (and picking up a few more kills near the Baron pit), Decode decided to submit the rare surrender vote.

Tigereye vs Decode – Game Two

Game two we saw all sorts of interesting picks. Decode took the Shen off the board this time, with Tigereye’s rarefiction taking Gangplank top instead. Decode also elected to go with Tristana at ADC, move Karma to mid on Shiv, and bring our Soraka on Thretn in the support role.

Just 1:10 into game one, Tigereye’s rarefiction was caught out of position putting down deep vision, giving First Blood to Decode’s Pune (playing Olaf this game). Tigereye would strike back five minutes later, with Bomi tunneling over the top lane wall to kill Shen.

This was perhaps a game of questionable calls by Pune in the jungle. The focus should have been on getting top lane behind even further, but instead Pune focused on farming and vision control. That cost him 11:30 into the game, as Artaphernes was able to catch him in their jungle for a kill.

A 2-2 trade in the bottom lane left rarefiction farming solo while Shen teleported bottom, a champion you don’t want to leave alone and let farm freely. The GP pick was huge for Tigereye, as rarefiction could just stay top, using his global ultimate to provide pressure on the map.

With Tigereye pushing down mid lane, Decode’s Ecotoxic ate a perfectly place bubble from Nami, which also led to Pune’s death as they tried to defend tier 2 mid tower. Just 20 minutes into the game, Tigereye was up 11k gold.

A 22 minute Baron by Tigereye left Decode in desperation mode. GP would cut them off in their own jungle with another well placed ultimate, with two more Decode members falling down.

Up almost 20k gold just 25 minutes into the game, Tigereye began to methodically dismember Decode’s defensive structures. A triple kill by rarefiction essentially put this game to bed, with Tigereye pushing for the win right after.

Tigereye wins the series 2-0, leaving Decode still with 0 points in the NZGC through two rounds.